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Category: Teaching and Learning

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Dear Principals,

In our ongoing effort to ensure all students receive the support they need to thrive, we are pleased to introduce a clear and supportive procedure for requesting additional resources that will govern all future requests for additional resources. This process is grounded in the principles of equity, student-centered decision-making, and shared accountability. Your voice and leadership are essential in helping us meet the diverse and evolving needs of our school communities.

Purpose of the Process

To establish a transparent, data-informed, and equity-driven system through which school leaders may formally request additional resources based on identified student needs and strategic priorities.

Guiding Principles

  • Alignment with district priorities:  SLCSD Priorities 2025-26  - Our top priorities highlighted from our strategic plan for student success.
  • Equity over equality: Resources are allocated based on student need rather than equal distribution (Gorski, 2013).
  • Student-centered decision-making: Requests should reflect actual enrollment, demographic shifts, and the academic or behavioral needs of students (Leithwood, 2010).
  • Support for diverse learners: Prioritization is given to schools serving high numbers of multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and those in under-resourced communities.
  • Transparency and accountability: A collaborative process with stakeholder involvement and clear communication throughout.

Petition Submission Process

Step 1: Review school data that serves as the basis for request

  • Review current school-level data with your area director:
    • Academic performance
    • Behavior trends
    • Enrollment patterns
    • Staffing ratios
    • Facility needs
School Data PointWho to contact if you have questions about accuracy or need additional clarity
Academic PerformanceDr. Patrick Jefferies, Supervisor, Data & Assessment or Dr. Christine Marriott, Director of Title I and School Improvement
Behavior TrendsDr. Allison Martin, Director of SEL & Preventive Services
Enrollment PatternsSam Quartz, Chief Information Officer
Staffing RatiosLogan Hall, Executive Director, Human Resources or his designee
Facility NeedsIsaac Astill, Executive Director, Auxiliary Services

Step 2: Draft a resource petition

  • Complete the District Resource Petition, which includes:
    • Description of the requested resource(s)
    • Supporting data (quantitative and/or qualitative)
    • Expected impact on student outcomes
    • Explanation of alignment with school and district strategic goals

Step 3: Area Director review

  • Schedule a consultation to review your petition with your Area Director.
  • Revisions or recommendations may be made to strengthen alignment or clarify outcomes.
  • Once approved by the Area Director, it will proceed to the District Review Process,

District Review Process

Step 4: Cabinet-Level review

After the deadline, a cross-functional Cabinet committee will evaluate requests using the Weighted Resource Allocation Formula (see below) and determine feasibility and alignment with district-wide initiatives.

Step 5: Communication of decision

  • A formal written response will be provided in accordance with the annual timeline.
  • If approved, a deployment timeline and point-of-contact will be shared.
  • If declined, the rationale will be explained and next steps will be offered for support and/or resubmission.

Weighted Resource Allocation formula

To ensure fairness and transparency, each petition will be evaluated using the following scoring system (Total Possible: 100 points):

FactorWeightDescription
Student Enrollment and Demographics25 pointsProportion of high-need students (e.g., FRL, ELL, SPED)
Academic & Behavioral Data20 pointsEvidence of gaps in achievement, chronic absenteeism, or behavior challenges
Access Impact20 pointsDegree to which resource addresses disparities or underserved student groups
Alignment with Strategic Goals15 pointsHow well the request aligns with district/school improvement priorities
Stakeholder Engagement10 pointsInvolvement of parents, staff, and community in needs assessment and planning
Feasibility & Sustainability10 pointsPracticality of implementation and potential for sustained impact

Minimum threshold for consideration: 65 points

Implementation & Monitoring

Step 6:  Review & Feedback

Relevant staff will review resource allocation with building staff.

Step 6: Resource deployment

Work collaboratively with the assigned district departments (e.g., HR, Finance, Facilities, SPED) to implement the resource as planned.

Step 7: Evaluation & reporting

  • Monitor effectiveness using outcome data and feedback tools.
  • Submit a mid-year and end-of-year report summarizing impact.
  • Adjustments may be made as necessary for sustainability.

Ongoing support and improvement

  • School Leadership & Support will maintain a log of all approved petitions for transparency.
  • Annual reviews of the process will be conducted by Cabinet to assess equity and efficiency.
  • Principal feedback will directly inform system refinements.

Supporting Tools

Final Note

We thank you for your dedication to equity, excellence, and innovation. This process is not simply about resource distribution—it is about recognizing the unique stories of your schools and responding with meaningful support. Together, we will ensure every student in Salt Lake City School District receives the opportunities they deserve to learn, grow, and succeed.

For questions or additional support with your resource petition, please contact your Area Director or the Office of School Leadership & Support.

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From: Terrilyn Lee

Hello Test Coordinators,

Just a quick note to update you on what is new with RISE, though I did include the new parent resources for our other state required tests.  Please share this information with your teachers.

  1. USBE has added Parent Resources to all the USBE Assessment pages
  1. New Cut scores for ELA have been released  RISE-Score-Charts_2025_updated.pptx Please note, due to the significant changes in the ELA test, please do not compare last year’s results to this years at a scaled score level.
  2. Please note; All RISE Individual Student reports for ELA, Writing, Math and Science are available to families in the PowerSchool parent portal.
  3. The new writing reporting has 2 categories
    • Composition (argument/informative): Scale of 1-6
    • Conventions: Scale of 0.5-3
    • The two scores are not intended to be added together.
  4. New Writing benchmark modules and ELA interim are available in RISE Test Administration
    • Most grades have multiple writing benchmarks available with fully automated scoring.
    • Grade 7 informative writing benchmarks still need more students to participate in the field test before automatic scoring is available.  Field testing for 7th grade informative will open again in February.
  5. NEW Feature Update on the RISE calculator in math and science.  Students can now copy-paste their answers directly from the onscreen calculator into the response field.  This feature is available:
    • On all Math and Science RISE assessments where calculators are provided onscreen
    • For all onscreen calculator types (basic, scientific, graphing)
    • Only for Equation Response items where a student must enter a numerical answer
  1. USBE RISE Training is available https://youtu.be/JZUKTw6m38c?si=Y-eZsh2A19rroY9M
  2. New Utah Accessibility, Accommodations, and Participation Policy 2025–2026  Check out the Appendixes.  There is an Appendix specific to each test which is divided into 2 sections.  The first section are the tools and supports available for ALL students, the second section are the additional accommodations allowed for students if they are listed on their IEPs or 504s.  Please note, some must be approved by either the state or district before they can be activated for students.   RISE is Appendix J, pp 67-69

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Published on

Date:              10/24/2025

To:                  Elementary Principals

From:             Dr. Rose, Advanced Academics Supervisor
                                Teaching & Learning

Subject:        Advanced Academics January Testing Dates and Expectations

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summary:

Beginning January 7 - January 20, AAMP teachers and staff will be testing Kindergarten and 3rd grade students.  This screening helps us identify all students who can qualify for magnet classes or AAMP programs. 

A comprehensive schedule will be sent out to all elementary principals for the testing dates and times at each school.  Kindergarten testing will take approximately an hour, while 3rd grade testing will take about three hours,. This is an exhaustive and massive undertaking, so we kindly ask the following:

  • Computer lab times be prioritized and set aside, per the schedule
  • Ensuring computers are updated in the labs
  • If no computer labs, that student laptops are updated and proper bandwidth is available throughout the school
  • Flexibility for unexpected intangibles (lagging Wi-Fi, power outages, absent students, etc.)
  • Communication to staff about the dates above, schedule (when available) and expectations for pulling students for the testing

Rationale: 

This is a district program and in order to ensure students have access, SLCSD completes universal testing at these two grade levels.

Expectations for Implementation: 

  1. Communication
  • Principals are responsible to ensure the steps above are implemented and ready

Thank you for helping us serve all SLCSD students!

For any further questions or clarifications, please contact any of the following:

Published on

From: Tiffany Hall

This information will be shared with teachers October 22, 2025. Please reach out if you have questions before that happens.

BACKGROUND

In 2025, the Utah State Legislature passed H.B. 104 Firearm Safety in Schools Amendments. This requires schools to provide an instructional session on firearm safety to students.

This instruction must be offered to students at least three times during grades K-6, once in middle school, and once in high school. The instruction must be age appropriate and developmentally appropriate for the students in the class.

In SLCSD, we will provide this lesson in grades 1, 3, and 5 and in middle and high school health classes. The reason we have assigned this to specific elementary grade levels and classes is so that we can track that the required instruction was provided.

This instruction will not include handling a firearm or having a firearm (real or model) in the classroom. The instruction will focus on ensuring students understand appropriate safety around firearms. Materials selected for this instruction are politically neutral and are available for parents to review online.

If parents do not want their student to participate in this lesson, they can opt their student out by completing returning the opt out form. They do not have to opt IN: they only have to opt OUT.

If opted out, the student must be provided with an alternate assignment in an alternate location, and their grade cannot be affected. For elementary, the lesson will probably between 15-20 minutes long. For secondary, the time may depend on what other appropriate health standards you choose to include.

REQUIRED STEPS

  1. Review the materials and video for your level.
  2. Choose a date you will plan to teach the lesson.
  3. At least two weeks before you teach the lesson, send the Parent Information letter home. Include the date you are teaching and the date the opt out must be returned.
  4. Make a plan for an alternate assignment and location in case it’s needed.
  5. Collect all opt out forms. After the lesson, have your administrator store them for the school year.
  6. Teach the lesson.

RESOURCES

Located in the District Document Center > Teaching & Learning > Firearm Safety Resources

Elementary – National Crime Prevention Council (Officer McGruff)

  • Grade 1: Molly’s Mischief
    • Parent form (Translations to major languages are currently in process. They will be added to the file as they are completed. Please contact Ms. Lowery if an additional language is needed.)
    • Video embedded on PPT
    • Teacher guide
    • Student activity sheet
    • Safety poster
    • Post-lesson recap for parents (currently only in English, TBD for other languages) 
  • Grades 3 and 5: Not Cool, Kyle
    • Parent form (Translations to major languages are currently in process. They will be added to the file as they are completed. Please contact Ms. Lowery if an additional language is needed.)
    • Video embedded on PPT
    • Teacher guide
    • Student activity sheet
    • Safety poster
    • Post-lesson recap for parents (currently only in English, TBD for other languages)

Secondary – Utah Attorney General’s Office

  • Parent form (Translations to major languages are currently in process. They will be added to the file as they are completed. Please contact Ms. Lowery if an additional language is needed.)
    • Video embedded on PPT
    • Teacher Lesson Plan
    • Student handout (two colors)
    • Safety poster (two colors)

QUESTIONS

  • Check with your administrator
  • Teams or email Katie Lowery, Health and PE Specialist
  • Teams or email Tiffany Hall, Teaching & Learning

NEXT STEPS

If you would like to suggest a different curriculum, please contact Ms. Lowery and Dr. Hall for district-level review.

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Title: Information Item

Date:                  October 3, 2025

To:                  Grade 7-8 Administrators

From:                 Dr. Candace Penrod, District Science Supervisor

Subject:        Amplify Science 7/8 Implementation and Support

 Summary:

Salt Lake City School District is excited to have Amplify Science materials in all middle school science classrooms.  The district has made a significant financial and curricular commitment to these highly quality instructional materials that support Utah’s Science with Engineering Education (SEEd) Standards middle school science classrooms.  The expectation is that the materials are now in use in all middle school science classrooms with the following district support: The

  1. The District Science Pacing Guide for 7th Grade   supports the systemic implementation of the new Amplify Science materials to support the SEEd Standards.
  2. The District Science Pacing Guide for 8th Grade supports systemic implementation of the new Amplify Science materials to support the SEEd Standards.
  3. A District Science Coach is available to visit your site and assist your teachers in getting started with the on-line and physical materials.  Contact Candace Penrod if you and your teachers would benefit from a site visit.
  4. The monthly Cross-District Middle School PLC meetings for middle school science are designed to support our teachers in the implementation of Amplify Science.
  5. Training sessions with an Amplify Science trainer will be available to support 7/8 grade science teachers with implementation of units, assessments, and assignments. More information will be forthcoming.

Rationale: 

The implementation of high-quality instructional materials is a priority for Salt Lake                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           City School District. Amplify Science for middle school was identified by our MS Science Materials Adoption Committee as a high-quality resource to support the implementation of the Utah SEEd Standards. Amplify Science includes hands-on materials, simulations, support for English Learners, support for Special Education, and opportunities for all students to engage with phenomenon-driven science instruction. The district-wide use of common high-quality materials supports all learners have access to high-quality science instruction.

Additionally, the use of the District Science Pacing Guide is also an expectation, as it provides continuity and support across the district for teachers and students. Our Cross-District Middle School Science PLC will focus on supporting teachers’ instruction and student work aligned with the District Pacing Guide.  It is the expectation moving forward that with the adoption and use of district materials, classroom instruction will be aligned by Strand (topic/unit) across the district according to the District Science Pacing Guide. This will create a more cohesive system of science education to support all learners and District Priorities and curricular goals.

Expectations for Implementation: 

  1. Communication
  • Middle School Administrators will communicate expectations and rationale to teachers regarding the use of the District Science Pacing Guide and the implementation of Amplify Science in all middle school classrooms.
  1. Collaboration: 
  1. Evaluation
  • Number of students using Amplify Materials; RISE scores; PLC data

Keywords: science, seventh grade, eighth grade, pacing guide, Amplify Science, SEEd standards

Published on

Date:                   October 3, 2025

To:                        Middle & High School Administrators

From:                 Dessie Olson, Social Studies Specialist

                                Adam Eskelson, Director, Social Studies

Subject:          Social Studies Curriculum Maps

Summary:

7-12 Social Studies Core Curriculum Maps are in the District Document Center in Teaching and Learning/Social Studies. Core social studies courses include World Geography, World History, U.S. History II, and United States Government & Citizenship. Significant information follows:

  • Social studies curriculum maps are not pacing guides, but maps that unpack the Utah Social Studies Standards to support classroom instruction.
  • The introduction pages of the curriculum map provide further details about the different features of the map and how they can support instruction.
  • Curriculum maps can be used in conjunction with our approved textbooks and primary source documents.

Rationale: 

Curriculum maps serve as the Guaranteed Viable Curriculum for social studie core content courses and can be used to support the work of PLCs.

Expectations for Implementation: 

  1. Communication
  1. Collaboration: 

Keywords: social studies, curriculum maps, world geography, world history, United States History, U.S. History, Unites States Government and Citizenship, 

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Scholarship for Teachers

Are you interested in teaching Concurrent Enrollment classes at your high school but are not qualified? Do you want to take the college classes so you are qualified? What if we pay for the tuition? 

Let's jump in!

We are excited to offer an opportunity to pay for your tuition to take a class (or two, not an entire Master's degree) to become qualified to teach concurrent enrollment. 

Apply Here!

If you don't know if you are qualified or want to have a conversation about offering additional concurrent enrollment classes, please reach out to your CTE Coordinator or the Business Development Coordinator: 

Julianna Wing, CTE Business Development Coordinator 

Anne Martin, CTE Coordinator, East High School 

Emily Grass, CTE Coordinator, Highland High School 

Sarah Wilson, CTE Coordinator, West High School 

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SmartBoard Replacement Information

After a thorough year-long review, including feedback from school administration, teachers, technical evaluation, and cost/benefit analysis, it has been determined that we will move forward with the following interactive devices in the classroom. 

ViewSonic Interactive Boards at the Elementary Level

Deciding Factors

  • Feedback received through visits and teacher survey.
  • We save almost $200-300 per board.
  • We will have a 7-year warranty instead of a 5-year warranty.
  • ViewSonic software will run the Smart Notebook software that many elementary teachers use.
  • ViewSonic boards performed better than the SMART brand.
  • Will support untethered teaching as well

Installation plan

·IT will work with school administration to determine which classrooms are updated first with as little classroom disruption as possible.

·Installation will take a coordination with district electricians and installers. 

·We are currently working on creating that plan with Auxiliary services and will send out that plan once it is finished. 

·Goal is to replace about 150 boards this year

·The rest of the boards are being replaced over the next 3-5 years.

·The goal is to begin installation in October/November.

Budget Needed

·Schools will not need to budget for this as it will be paid out of the district capital technology outlay funds.

Training

·School technicians are being trained within the next few weeks so there is onsite support.

·IT will work with school administration to develop training opportunities as boards are installed in the school

·IT will work with Teaching & Learning and School Leadership and Support to develop a comprehensive training plan going forward.

Epson Interactive Projectors (still in testing phase) at Secondary Level, with optional ViewSonic Interactive Board option

Deciding Factors

  • Feedback received through visits and teacher survey.
  • having more whiteboard space was one of the most frequent requests.
  • The vast majority of secondary classrooms do not use SMART notebook software or use the touch capability
  • The picture will be displayed on the whiteboard, allowing the whiteboard to serve dual functionality.
  • Allows for untethered teaching.
  • If the Epson Projector does not work in the classroom, ViewSonic Interactive boards will be installed 

Installation plan

·These devices have already been installed in some classrooms in the district

·IT has reached out to high school principals to receive the names of a few teachers willing receive these new projectors for additional testing.

·After final testing is completed, installation will take place over the next 3-5 years.

Budget Needed

·Schools will not need to budget for this as it will be paid out of the district capital technology outlay funds.

Training

·School technicians will be trained on the boards for onsite support.

·IT will work with school administration to develop training opportunities as boards are installed in the school

·IT will work with Teaching & Learning and School Leadership and Support to develop a comprehensive training plan going forward.

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Title: Action Item: Assigning STEM AC Math Digital Learning Student Licenses

Date: 09/12/2025

To: Elementary, Middle School, High School Administrators

From: Holley McIntosh, Director of STEM and Mathematics

Dr. Tiffany Hall, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning

Subject:           Assigning STEM Action Center Math Digital Learning Student Licenses

Summary:

The math digital learning student licenses listed below awarded to schools from the STEM Action Center Math Digital Learning Grant will be assigned by the SLCSD IT Department.

  • STMath
  • IXL
  • Dreambox
  • My Math Academy
  • I-Ready
  • Derivita
  • Math Space
  • Imagine Math
  • Renaissance


Administrators must submit a SLCSD IT helpdesk ticket to inform IT how the licenses are to be assigned in their school no later than October 1.

One exception: High School ALEKs licenses will be managed and assigned by your HS Math Content Area Specialist (coach).

Rationale: 

The STEM Action Center (AC) did not have sufficient resources to fund any school’s full grant request for licenses. With only a portion of the licenses provided, schools need to be strategic in assigning licenses to classes or students that will best utilize them. The STEM AC tracks usage to ensure license are being used at appropriate levels.

Schools not actively using their licenses by October 30, 2025 run the risk of having the STEM AC reassign their licenses to another school in the state.

Expectations for Implementation: 

  1. Communication

Administrators are responsible to submit a helpdesk ticket.

  1. Device >Device Software
  2. Category
  3. Subcategory > Application you have selected
  4. Item > Add
  5. Subject >Assign math program

Note in the description:

  • the name of the math digital learning supplemental program you received from the STEM AC grant
  • which grade levels or specific teachers are to have licenses
  • how many licenses for the grade levels or specific teachers

Administrators are responsible to tell teachers in their building which grade levels and specific teachers have access to these programs.

  1. Collaboration: 
  • Contact Holley McIntosh if you have questions about your school’s STEM AC grant award.
  • Work with the District Math Coach/CAS assigned to your school if you have questions about how to match these licenses with student needs.
  1. Evaluation
  • Administrators are to communicate to IT the appropriate assignment of the awarded licenses.
  • Administrators ensure the licenses are used appropriately and as a supplement to our adopted core programs.
  • See the conditions of the STEM AC grant for more information.

Published on

Dear Principals,

Thank you for your continued efforts in supporting our students with the NWEA assessments. Attached is the most recent participation chart, which shows where each school currently stands. Our districtwide goal is 95% participation, and the deadline for completion is Friday, September 12, 2025.

Please ensure the necessary arrangements are in place so that all students have the opportunity to participate and we can collectively meet this important target. Your leadership and attention to this matter are greatly appreciated.

SchoolsStudents TestedPercent Complete
Backman7651%
Beacon Heights8363%
Bonneville11363%
Bryant11333%
Clayton58298%
Dilworth5228%
East17810%
Edison11169%
Emerson11462%
Ensign14384%
Escalante8765%
Franklin00%
Glendale29746%
Highland126166%
Highland Park14473%
Hillside39082%
Horizonte4720%
Indian Hills16787%
Innovations00%
Liberty6640%
Meadowlark6232%
Mountain View13769%
Newman4025%
Nibley Park17675%
North Star11484%
Northwest41080%
Open Classroom3323%
Parkview7279%
Rose Park3725%
SLCSE17348%
Uintah16079%
Wasatch8455%
Washington6652%
West129954%
Whittier9644%
Grand Total698353%
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